Lost family
by Star of Shadow
Summary: What happens when Natsume's sister comes to Alice Academy? Natsume's sister in this fic isn't Aoi, but instead an OC. NatsumexMikan, RukaxOC
1. Prologue

_**REWRITTEN! Some aspects of the story have been changed compared to before. Whether you are a new or old reader, here is some background info**_

_**Natsume's backstory is based off the canon one shown in the manga. That means that he was living with his father and sister Aoi prior to entering Alice Academy. They had recently moved to the village where Ruka was staying. When Natsume left the village, Aoi was in the hospital, having suffered serious burn wounds that took away her eyesight.**_

_**My OC Himawari is their cousin who came to stay with the family. She is the same age as Aoi and is close to both siblings.**_

* * *

**Prologue**

Natsume sighed. It was that day again. The day he had come to Alice Academy three years ago when he was eight. The day he had been separated from his family.

_FLASHBACK_

The village was now just burnt ruins. It used to be a village of happiness, but it was all gone. The villagers were all staying in the hall on the hilltop that hadn't been burnt.

Eight-year old Natsume walked towards the limo waiting for him. He refused to look back, for he feared he would break down.

"Onii-chan!" a six-year old girl ran out of the building. She was small for her age, and fragile-looking. Her usually smiling face was covered in tears.

She wrapped her arms around Natsume's waist. "Natsume-nii-chan… Don't go… Stay with me…" she sobbed.

Natsume steeled his heart as he looked at the girl he viewed as a sister. Himawari was technically his cousin, but she had come to live with their family when her parents had passed away. They had grown close over the years, but now he had to leave. He couldn't afford to be kind at this point. He had to push her away. It would make the parting easier for both of them.

"Himawari, go back to Dad and Aoi," he said firmly, trying to control the quiver in his voice. He wrenched her clinging arm off him, and continued to walk towards the car.

"Natsume-nii-chan!"

The boy was almost knocked over by Hiwamari who hadn't given up and had tackled him from behind. She stubbornly clung to his arm, effectively locking him in place by digging her feet into the dirt floor.

Natsume sighed as he looked at the sobbing girl. "Himawari, let go. I can't stay."

"W-why do you h-have to go, Natsume-nii-chan?" Himawari just tightened her hold on him. Natsume could feel the moisture that was her tears soaking through the sleeve of his shirt.

"Go back." he repeated. When the girl refused to move, he roughly pushed her off and yelled, "Just go back!"

Himawari stood there dazedly, tears rolling down her face. "Y-you yelled at m-me…" she said in shock, "That was the first time nii-chan shouted at me…"

Looking at her tear-stained face, Natsume felt an urge to run over to hug her. To tell her that it was alright, just like he used to when she was bullied for her small stature.

There was perhaps one way that he could make her give up on getting him stay.

"Himawari, listen. I have to go away, and you can't change that. But can you promise me something?"

Himawari nodded, unable to speak through her sobs.

"You must be a good girl, Himawari. Take care of yourself. And take care of Aoi too, will you? Promise?"

"O-Okay, nii-chan. P-P-Promise." She buried her face in her hands, still crying.

Natsume reach out a hand to ruffle her hair as he always did but caught himself in time, his fingers curling into a fist as he withdrew it mere inches away from the top of her head.

He spun on his heel and started walking fast towards the limo. Walking towards Alice Academy, and dark days. Walking away from his precious family.

Looking out of the moving car, Natsume saw Himawari still standing in a daze, holding on tightly to a bracelet in her hand. The bracelet Natsume had given to her, made solely out of sunflower shape beads and red beads. Sunflowers, symbolizing Himawari, which meant sunflower. Red beads, symbolizing Natsu, Japanese for summer. Or, thought Natsume bitterly, the fire that had destroyed them all.

Ruka squeezed his hand, trying to comfort him. But Natsume couldn't even muster a fake smile before he leant his head against the seat of the cat, trying hard not to cry.


	2. Chapter One

_**REWRITTEN!**_

* * *

**Chapter One**

Himawari stared at the huge area which was the Alice Academy school grounds. But unlike Mikan on her first day, she just observed this in a rather expressionless way. Narumi glanced at her, and decided to leave her to her own thoughts.

"Your entrance has been handled, so I'll bring you to your class now."

To tell the truth, Narumi was rather unnerved by this particular girl. On the outset, she was just a ten year-old girl with long raven hair tied in a braid. But her eyes, held a sadness which would have made anyone at least a little uncomfortable. Not to mention there was practically no information about this particular girl. But they would know soon enough. The Academy was very resourceful.

She had told the agents that her name was Himawari Fuyu, ten year-old. No other identification would she give, nor could any documents be found on her.

"Class, we have a new student today. Her name is Himawari Fuyu, and she is a year younger than most of you, so please take good care of her." Narumi stood at the front of the classroom.

The guys had hearts in their eyes. Well, she was a pretty girl, anyone could see that. Narumi chuckled inwardly at the class' response.

"What's her Alice and star-ranking, Narumi-sensei?"

"For her Alice you can ask her yourself. She is a two-star." Narumi-sensei said. "Now who would like to be Himawari-chan's partner?"

Most of the boys raised their hands. Even the ones with partners, he noted with amusement.

"I shall have to choose a partner for her, then. Her partner will be… Ruka-kun." Narumi-sensei pointed towards the blond boy.

Ruka blinked. He had been petting his rabbit, thinking that the partner thing didn't have anything to do with him.

"Himawari-chan, please sit down at the empty seat at the back next to Ruka-kun." Narumi-sensei looked at his watch. "Oh my, what at time I've been! Adieu!" and he went out of the door.

Himawari walked towards the back seat, trying to ignore the stares she was getting.

"Konnichiwa, Himawari-chan. My name's Mikan Sakura." the bubbly brunette smiled widely at her. "I hope we can be good friends."

"I'm Ruka Nogi. Nice to meet you." Ruka held out a hand to Himawari when she sat down. She shook it politely.

Her mouth curved into a small smile at the friendly greetings. "Nice to meet you, too."

* * *

Dear Diary,

I just transferred to a school called Alice Academy. I'm told that it is a school for people which 'Alice's. Narumi-sensei told me that my Alice is the 'Bird Alice'. It turns out that I can turn into a bird or grow wings at will. I'm not particularly good at it yet, though. I'm a two-star student, and the accommodations are rather nice. My class is Class B, and most of the students in the class are eleven years-old. I met a girl named Mikan Sakura. Ruka is my partner who is supposed to bring me around the school.

Ruka… he didn't recognize me, but then again I have changed a lot in the past four years. He looks almost the same, but has grown rather cute… Wait, what am I thinking? It's Ruka for goodness sake! Bad thoughts! Shoo! Shoo!

But anyway, I'm glad that Ruka is here. Because that means that my guess was right. It means that Natsume-nii-chan is also here.


	3. Chapter Two

_**REWRITTEN!**_

* * *

It was a typical day in Class B. Mikan was jumping at Hotaru; Hotaru drew out her baka gun; Mikan fell on the floor; Kitsuneme was floating above the class; Ruka was petting his rabbit; Himawari was sitting next to him reading a book. But wait… Natsume's missing… He's skipping class. Again. (sigh)

Jinno-sensei walked in. "Open your text book at page 60."

After explaining the lesson, Jinno instructed them to complete some exercises, and then sat down to correct the homework that they (or at least some of them) had passed up.

Himawari started doing calculations in her workbook. Ruka glanced at her. _'This is totally different from sitting next to Natsume. He never bothers to do his homework,' _he thought.

There was something niggling at the back of his mind. She looked a little familiar, though he couldn't place it.

"Is something the matter, Ruka-kun?"

The boy blushed, embarrassed at being caught staring. "N-No, nothing at all." Red-faced, he quickly returned his attention to his work. Which was why he didn't catch the fond smile that passed Himawari's face before she also looked back down at her workbook.

* * *

Himawari wandered idly around the school grounds. It was after class, and everyone was busy with their own activities. Being new, she couldn't think of anything to do. Maybe she could ask Ruka about that. And maybe find a way to discreetly inquire about Natsume without seeming too obvious…

A light wind lifted her black locks. She had loosened it from the braid, so that it hung down her back.

"Cherry blossoms?" she murmured, looking at the pink petals flying by her. Heading opposite the wind, she came across what was none other than a beautifully blooming sakura tree.

Mesmerized by the pink petals flying around, she didn't notice the figure sitting under the tree, a manga on his face.

When she finally saw him, Himawari turned to leave, not wanting to disturb the sleeping boy. A twig snapped beneath her foot, however, ruining the plan. The comic book slid from Natsume's face as he sat up, his eyes narrowed.

Himawari started. "N-Natsume-nii-chan?" she gasped.

The fire-caster glanced sharply at her and froze. "Himawari?" he said, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Nii-chan!" Himawari ran over to her elder brother, hugging him tightly. Tears soaked through his shirt, like the day he had left.

He wrapped his arms around her for a while before pulling her away and holding her at arm's length. "Himawari, what are you doing here?"

"It's a long story…"

"Then sit down and tell it." He sat back down, and motioned her to sit down next to him. Himawari sank down and dabbed her face with the handkerchief Natsume handed to her.

"I was living with Uncle for the past four years, after you left and Aoi disappeared with that strange man. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect Aoi…"

"It's not your fault, Himawari." He patted her head to soothe her when she looked like she was going to cry again, like he used to do in the past. "What happened then?"

"Well Uncle and I were moving from one town to another like we always did before. Then a few months ago Uncle left me with a nice family, saying that he had to leave for a while. He came back a week later with Aoi."

Ah, that must be why he hadn't seen Himawari that day when Aoi was allowed to go home with their father. Their father must have been worried that the Academy would find out about Himawari. Her power hadn't manifested when he had left, but they all knew that it probably would one day, considering her lineage. That she was here now meant that it had.

"One day, Aoi and I were climbing a tree when the branch I was on snapped. I thought I was going to fall, but somehow my arms suddenly turned into wings and I ended up gliding to the ground. Someone saw me though, and before I knew it Narumi-sensei was greeting me at the Academy gate."

"I see..." So she had a bird type Alice. That would put her in Somatic Ability, wouldn't it? He could get Ruka to keep an eye on her. And it wasn't likely that she would be put in Dangerous Ability, which was good. Natsume didn't know what he would do if she ended up in Dangerous Ability like him.

While Natsume was thinking, Himawari yawned. She leant her head against Natsume's shoulder, just like how she and Aoi used to do when the three of them had been together.

"Ne, Natsume-nii?" she murmured sleepily.

"Hmm?"

"I'm glad I found you again. Don't leave this time, okay?"

She fell asleep before she could hear Natsume's whispered, "I'll try."


End file.
